In Hesiod’s Pandora story, the container sealed before Pandora opened it was a jar. The original Greek text uses the word pithos, a large storage vessel rather than a small household box.
A pithos was commonly used in the ancient Greek world for storing commodities such as grain, wine, or oil. The vessel’s size and practical purpose make it a more accurate image of the ancient story than the compact box familiar from modern illustrations.
The expression “Pandora’s box” became standard much later through translation and literary tradition. The influential Latin writer Erasmus used the Latin term pyxis, meaning a box or small container, helping establish the modern wording. Some retellings also call the vessel a jar, which is closer to Hesiod’s original description.